Refrigerator and/or freezer

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with an ice maker, wherein the appliance includes at least one fan associated to the ice maker, which is arranged such that cold air is supplied to the ice maker by means of the fan.

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with an ice maker.

Refrigerators and/or freezers with an ice maker are known from the prior art in different configurations. For cooling the ice maker, these appliances include an air duct especially provided for this purpose or a static air conduit in the appliance, which supplies part of the air, which actually serves for cooling the interior of the appliance and the goods stored therein, to the ice maker.

In appliances known from the prior art, it is disadvantageous that the dynamic cooling of the ice maker only is available when the appliance just operates in the cooling mode. It is conceivable, for instance, that the appliance includes a dynamic evaporator and that a fan is provided, which is associated to a cooling air circuit and effects the desired air movement, if necessary. When the fan associated to the cooling air circuit is not in operation, there is no dynamic cooling of the ice maker, even if the same actually is necessary. Thus, during the standing time of prior art appliances cooling of the ice maker only is effected via natural convection, which is substantially slower and hence less effective than a dynamic cooling.

A further disadvantage of appliances known from the prior art consists in that the ice maker possibly also is cooled when cooling thereof is not necessary. For instance, if the fan associated to the cooling air circuit is in operation, the ice maker of known appliances also is cooled at the same time. This involves the disadvantage that in this case not the full air power is available for cooling the stored goods, which is undesirable.

Therefore, it is the object underlying the present invention to develop a refrigerator and/or freezer as mentioned above such that ice making largely is effected independent of the operating condition of the appliance.

In accordance with claim 1, this object is solved in that the appliance includes at least one fan associated to the ice maker, which is arranged such that cold air is supplied to the ice maker by means of the fan. Thus, the present invention is based on the idea that a separate fan directly associated to the ice maker is used for cooling the same.

In a particularly advantageous aspect of the invention it is provided that the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that its operating condition is independent of the operating condition of the refrigerator and/or freezer. The dynamic ventilation or cooling of the ice maker hence is independent of the operating condition of the appliance (compressor switched on or off, fan of the cooling circuit switched on or off, etc.).

It is conceivable that the fan associated to the ice maker is running permanently or only when there is a demand for cooling air or a demand for ice.

In a further aspect of the invention it is provided that the appliance includes a dynamically cooled evaporator for cooling the interior of the appliance or at least a compartment of the appliance, that a fan associated to the cooling air circuit is provided, and that the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that its operating condition is independent of the operating condition of the fan associated to the cooling air circuit. In this way, it is possible to make the cooling of the goods disposed in the appliance independent of whether or not cold air must be supplied to the ice maker. Furthermore, it is possible to supply the ice maker with cooling air independent of whether or not the fan associated to the cooling air circuit now is in operation.

In a further aspect of the invention it is provided that the appliance includes a compressor and that the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that its operating condition is independent of the operating condition of the compressor.

In a further aspect of the invention it is provided that the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that it is in operation as long as the desired or the maximum filling level in the ice cube collecting tray is not reached. In this embodiment of the invention, the ice maker is dynamically cooled with cold air by the fan separately associated to the same. This leads to a substantial increase in ice output.

In a further aspect of the invention it can be provided that in contrast to the appliances known from the prior art, the appliance has no air duct associated to the ice maker. As stated above, in appliances known from the prior art, an air guiding duct can be provided, through which cold air is supplied to the ice maker. Since in accordance with the present invention a separate fan associated to the ice maker is provided, such separate air duct can be omitted, which correspondingly simplifies the construction of the appliance.

In a further aspect of the invention it is provided that the ice maker has a housing and that the fan associated to the ice maker is arranged on the housing or at least partly forms an integral part of the housing. It is conceivable, for instance, that certain parts of the fan, for instance air inlets or air outlets, form integral parts of the housing, whereby a comparatively simple construction of the arrangement is obtained.

In a further aspect of the invention it finally is provided that the appliance includes means for detecting the filling level of the ice maker or an ice container, which are arranged such that they measure the filling level in the ice maker or in the ice container, and that the rotational speed and/or the relative on-period of the fan depends on the measured filling level. Relative on-period is understood to be the ratio of switch-on time to switch-off time of the fan associated to the ice maker.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the ice cube maker and the fan associated to the same form a constructional unit, whereby a comparatively compact arrangement is obtained.

Of course, the invention also comprises appliances which include more than one ice maker. In accordance with the invention, the word “one” should not be understood to be a restriction to embodiments in which the respective component only is provided exactly once.

In a further aspect of the invention, an actuating element, for instance a key, can be provided, upon whose actuation the fan associated to the ice maker is put in operation and remains in operation, until a certain filling level, which can be adjustable, is reached in the ice maker or in an ice container.

Further details and advantages of the invention will be described in detail with reference to an embodiment explained below.

The refrigerator and/or freezer in accordance with the present invention includes an ice cube maker, by means of which a rather fast cooling of the water in the ice cube maker should be achieved. Due to the faster cooling, the ejection interval can be reduced and thus the output per time can be increased.

For this purpose, it is provided in accordance with this embodiment that a separate fan only associated to the ice cube maker is provided, which dynamically cools the same with cold air, until the desired quantity of ice cubes or the desired filling level in the ice cube collecting tray is reached. This leads to a substantially increased ice output.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the dynamic ventilation by means of the fan associated to the ice cube maker does not depend on the operating condition of the freezer/freezing component. In accordance with this embodiment, the dynamic ventilation thus is effected both in the running time and in the standing time of the appliance. For instance, it can be provided that a dynamic evaporator is provided for cooling the freezing component or freezer, and that the operation of the fan associated to the ice cube maker is effected independent of the operation of the fan associated to the cooling air circuit.

In accordance with the embodiment described here, no additional static air duct is provided for dynamically cooling the ice cube maker. Such duct can be provided, but this is not absolutely necessary.

Thus, preferably the entire air power of the appliance is exclusively available for cooling the goods present in the interior of the appliance.

In accordance with the embodiment described here, a sensor is provided, which determines the filling level in the ice cube maker or ice cube compartment. It is possible to only operate the fan associated to the ice maker when the filling level of the ice cube collecting tray is below a desired value. If the desired filling level is not reached, it can be provided that the fan associated to the ice cube maker is put in operation and remains switched on, until the desired filling level is reached.

It is also conceivable to correspondingly change not only the absolute or relative switch-on period, but also the rotational speed of the fan.

A comparatively simple construction of the appliance of the invention is obtained when the fan is arranged on a housing in which the ice cube maker is arranged or which forms part of the ice cube maker. It can be provided that certain stationary parts of the fan, such as air inlets or air outlets, form integral parts of this housing.

It can be provided that a suitable fixture for the fan associated to the ice cube maker is provided in the housing, wherein the fan is for instance latched or otherwise connected with the housing, far instance by an adhesive or screw connection. In general, a comparatively compact arrangement is obtained, which as such can be incorporated in the appliance. 

1. A refrigerator and/or freezer with an ice maker, wherein the appliance includes at least one fan associated to the ice maker, which is arranged such that cold air is supplied to the ice maker by the fan.
 2. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that its operating condition is independent of the operating condition of the refrigerator and/or freezer.
 3. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the appliance includes a dynamic evaporator for cooling the interior of the appliance or at least one compartment of the appliance, that an evaporator associated to the cooling air circuit is provided, and the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that its operating condition is independent of the operating condition of the fan associated to the cooling air circuit.
 4. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the appliance includes a compressor and that the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that its operating condition is independent of the operating condition of the compressor.
 5. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that it only is in operation if necessary.
 6. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the appliance has no air duct exclusively associated to the ice maker.
 7. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the ice maker has a housing and that the fan associated to the ice maker is arranged on the housing or at least partly forms an integral part of the housing.
 8. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein means are provided, by which the filling level in the ice maker or in an ice container can be detected, and that the rotational speed and/or the relative switch-on period of the fan associated to the ice maker depends on the filling level measured.
 9. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the ice maker and the fan associated to the same form a constructional unit.
 10. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein an operating element, in particular a key is provided, which is configured such that upon actuating the same the fan associated to the ice maker is in operation, until a certain filling level in the ice maker or in an ice container is reached.
 11. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 2, wherein the appliance includes a dynamic evaporator for cooling the interior of the appliance or at least one compartment of the appliance, that an evaporator associated to the cooling air circuit is provided, and the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that its operating condition is independent of the operating condition of the fan associated to the cooling air circuit.
 12. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 10, wherein the appliance includes a compressor and that the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that its operating condition is independent of the operating condition of the compressor.
 13. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 2, wherein the appliance includes a compressor and that the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that its operating condition is independent of the operating condition of the compressor.
 14. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 3, wherein the appliance includes a compressor and that the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that its operating condition is independent of the operating condition of the compressor.
 15. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 14, wherein the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that it only is in operation if necessary.
 16. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 13, wherein the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that it only is in operation if necessary.
 17. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 12, wherein the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that it only is in operation if necessary.
 18. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 11, wherein the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that it only is in operation if necessary.
 19. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 4, wherein the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that it only is in operation if necessary.
 20. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 3, wherein the fan associated to the ice maker is configured such that it only is in operation if necessary. 